Windows 7 search does not return results from indexed folders

Posted by Dilbert on Super User See other posts from Super User or by Dilbert
Published on 2012-09-12T14:28:35Z Indexed on 2012/09/12 21:40 UTC
Read the original article Hit count: 242

I am experiencing this issue over and over again and I just cannot seem to find the answer. It doesn't make sense, but search simply does not return results from folders that certainly have these files inside. It's weird that this technology exists for more than 5 years now (it could be added to Windows XP as an addon), and they still haven't got it right.

My folder contains 10 image files with .png extensions. Two scenarios:

  1. Scenario 1: I exclude the folder using Indexing options. Search works.

  2. Scenario 2: I turn on indexing for this folder. Search does not work.

Of course, Agent Ransack returns results every time. When I check Advanced options for the Indexing options inside control panel, .png files are checked in the File Types tab, using the "File Properties filter".

What's the deal with this?

[Edit]

To clarify, this doesn't happen with all folders, but does with more than one. For the "problematic" folders, even *.* doesn't return a single result. I found some advice to clear the archive and readonly attributes for all files (doesn't make sense, but hey), but it didn't work.

Indexing status in Control panel is: Indexing complete. 100,000 items indexed. Folder is included in the list. File types list contains the .png extension (although it doesn't work with any filter, not even *.*).

© Super User or respective owner

Related posts about windows-7

Related posts about windows-search